Festival-goers neglecting their oral health

One in 10 festival-goers don’t brush their teeth at all throughout the whole event, a new study has revealed.

The study, from the Oral Health Foundation and Polo Sugar Free, also found that 38% of festival attendees brush their teeth once or less times per day.

‘I am sure we can all agree that it can be easy to lose track of many things in all the fun of a festival, but neglecting our oral health is something that we should really try to stay on top of as it can lead to long-term damage,’ CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said.

‘With diets at festivals being less than ideal; usually involving large amounts of sugary and acidic foods and drinks as well as alcohol, looking after their oral health really should become more of a priority for festival goers.

‘Brushing your teeth only once a day increases your chance of developing tooth decay by up to a third.’

Toothbrush

Despite these results, a toothbrush was one of the first things people attending festivals pack before setting off.

The study found that 25.6% of respondents prioritised packing a toothbrush, which was more than those who prioritised deodrant (21.8%) and baby wipes (17%).

‘It is great to see that people set out with the best intentions of looking after their oral health by bringing a toothbrush to a festival, but actions are better than intentions and it is important to actually use when they are there,’ Catherine Wragg of Polo® Sugar Free, said.

‘Neglecting oral health while out and about can be a huge problem and can result in tooth decay, bad breath and even, in severe cases, tooth loss.

‘We encourage all festival-goers to not only pack a toothbrush but also use it to brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes twice a day; as well as keeping handy and sucking on a sugar free mint after eating or drinking anything.’

Seb Evans

Author at Dentistry.co.uk

Seb moved to FMC at the start of 2014. He is the editor of dentistry.co.uk, assistant editor of Dentistry magazine and editor of Dentistry Scotland.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01923 851751